The Most Important Concern to be Aware of Regarding Hearing Loss

As we get older we tend to think that hearing loss only affects people of advanced age. You might have had older people around you struggling to understand conversations or using hearing aids.

But much like 30 or 60 only seemed old to you until it quickly approached, when you learn more regarding hearing loss, you find that it has much less to do with growing old and far more to do with something else entirely.

Many people are frightened to admit they have hearing loss because it causes them to feel like they are getting old.

You can Start to Lose Your Ability to Hear at any age

Even before we turn 13, audiologists can already identify some amount of hearing loss in 13% of instances. You’ll agree, this isn’t because 12-year-olds are “old”. In the past 30 years there has been a 33% rise in teenage hearing loss.

What’s going on here?

2% of 45 – 55-year-olds and 8% of 55 – 64-year-olds currently have disabling hearing loss.

The problem is not with aging. What you may think of as age-associated hearing loss is totally avoidable. Appreciably reducing your hearing loss is within reach.

Sensorineural hearing loss, which is the medical name for age-related hearing loss, is usually caused by loud noise.

For decades hearing loss was believed to be unavoidable as you get older. But presently, scientists know more about how to take care of your hearing and also restore it.

The Reason why Loud Noise Causes Hearing loss

You must recognize that loud noise is not harmless if you desire to start to protect your ears.

Sound is made up of waves of pressure. These waves travel into your ear canal. They travel all the way down beyond your eardrum into your inner ear.

Inside of the inner ear little hairs resonate. A neurological code is made up from how fast and how regularly these little tiny hairs vibrate. Your brain can turn this code into words, rushing water, a warning alert, a cry or whatever else you might hear.

The problem is when the inner ear is subjected to sounds that are too loud, these hair cells shake too quickly. They die because the vibrations become too strong for them to handle.

If you don’t have them, you can not hear.

Hearing Loss Triggered by Loud Noise is not Reversible

Countless kinds of damage will be healed by your body. These little cells do not heal. When they are gone, they are lost forever. Each and every time you are subjected to loud sound, a few more of these cells are lost for ever.

Hearing loss progresses as they die.

There are Noises That are Common Which Will Cause Hearing Damage

This is a unexpected thing for most people to discover. It’s easy to discount:

Going to a concert/play/movie

Wearing earbuds/head phones

Turning the car stereo up too loud

Mowing the lawn

Using farm equipment

Riding a motorcycle/snowmobile

Driving on a busy highway with the windows or top down

Working in a factory or other loud industry

Hunting

Playing music in a band

It’s not necessary to give up these activities. It is possible to minimize noise induced hearing damage by employing pro-active steps.

How you can Keep Hearing Loss From Making You “Feel” Older

If you’re already suffering from hearing loss, admitting it doesn’t have to make you feel older. In fact, failing to admit it can guarantee faster advancement and difficulties that will definitely cause you to you feel a lot older in only a few short years like:

Depression

Anxiety

Dementia/Alzheimer’s

Increased Fall Risk

Social Isolation

More frequent trips to the ER

Strained relationships

It’s considerably more common for people with neglected hearing loss to have problems with one or more of these.

Further Hearing Damage can be Prevented

The first step is to learn how to to avoid hearing loss.

Sound meter apps are available for your phone which can tell you how loud things actually are.

Dangerous volumes should be avoided without the correct hearing protection. More than 85 dB (decibels) can cause permanent hearing loss in just 8 hours. 110 dB takes about 15 minutes to cause permanent hearing loss. 120 dB and higher results in instant hearing loss. A gunshot is 140 to 170 dB.

Understand that If you’ve ever had difficulty hearing briefly after a concert, you already caused permanent damage to your hearing. It will get more pronounced as time goes by.

Use earplugs or maybe sound-dampening earmuffs when necessary.

Follow work hearing protection policies.

Minimize your exposure time to loud sounds.

Refrain from standing in close proximity to loudspeakers or cranking speakers up at home.

Buy earbuds/headphones which have integrated volume control. These never go over 90 decibels. You would have to listen nearly non-stop all day to cause permanent damage.

High blood pressure, not enough blood oxygen, and some medications can cause you to be more vulnerable at lower volumes. To be safe, never listen to headphones at above 50%. Car speakers vary.

Wear your hearing aid. Not using a hearing aid if you need them causes the brain to atrophy. It’s a lot like your leg muscles. If you stop walking, it gets much harder to start walking again.

Call a Hearing Expert for a Hearing Examination

Are you putting off on it or are in denial? Stop it. You need to know so you can become proactive to minimize further damage.

Get in touch with Your Hearing Specialist Regarding Hearing Solutions

There are not any “normal cures” for hearing impairment. If you have severe hearing loss, it’s time for a hearing aid.

Do a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Hearing Aids

Many sufferers are either in denial about hearing loss, or maybe, they decide to “tough it out.” They believe that hearing aids will make them seem old. Or they believe that they cost too much.

But when they recognize that hearing loss will become worse faster and can cause numerous health and relationship complications, it’s simple to see that the pros greatly outweigh the cons.

Talk to a hearing care specialist today about getting a hearing evaluation. And if hearing aids are advisable, don’t be afraid of “feeling old.” Hearing aids today are much sleeker and more sophisticated than you may think!